floor tillering advice

[bow101]

For the most part, its just something that has to be developed.  The more you do it, the better you'll get at it.  I know there are some that have floor tillering down so well that they skip the long string and go straight to brace.  I'm not one of em.  I would recommend that you just get the limbs to start to bend and then go to the long string.  At least for now.  Once you get a better feel for it, you can start taking it a little farther on floor tiller before you go to the long string.   It may take longer this way, but it ain't supposed to be a race anyway.   Josh

So very true, at least now I can get to a good floor tiller stage and brace it about 3 inches.  From there I have a good idea where to take off material.

[George Tsoukalas]

No, I never got a hinge. Lol.
I get the limbs bending 2-3 in and go to the long string. That way I can see what is going on. Jawge

[crooketarrow]

  Your right GEORGE my limbs at this point my limbs are way way to thick to hindge.
 
                   ( YOUR'S SHOULD BE TO )
 
  I do long string but only long enough to get a string on.

  I never short brace my bows. As soon as I can I go straight to my brace height. 

  I like to tiller a inch longer than I need.  That makes my bows 2,3 pounds over. Just a built in safty feature.

[Cameroo]

  I like to tiller a inch longer than I need.  That makes my bows 2,3 pounds over. Just a built in safty feature.

Care to elaborate on that? How is that "safer"? Just curious.

[adb]

And how does that make your bow 2-3 pounds over? 50#@28" is 50#@28". If you tiller an inch past, it would be 52-53#@29".

[Blaflair2]

I think he means if it's at 28" he tillers to 29" just incase it is overdrawn it is fine for the extra inch?

[adb]

In my experience, 'over drawing' can have few limits. I make bows to be drawn to a very specific length and no more. I'm careful to educate people who acquire my bows on the dangers of over drawing it. It's impossible to guarantee a bow from breaking if it's over drawn. I don't see how an extra inch will make a bow 'safer.' A bow tillered to 28" is at risk being drawn to 30". JMHO. If someone wants to draw one of my bows, I give them a proper length arrow to do it. It's bad practice to hand someone just a bow, and say 'here, give this a tug.' Good chance they'll over draw it.

[Blaflair2]

IMHO i think it makes it a little more stable if it's tillered to. 29" and shot at 28". It's been on the tiller tree and exercised to the 29". So therefore in my head when it is pulled to 29" by accident or whatever it's less likely to have too much stress on the limbs. Just my thoughts.

[adb]

The farther a bow is drawn, the more stress is placed on the limbs, to the point where they finally fail. Tiller your bow to the desired draw length, and then shoot it there.
What do you mean by 'the bow is more stable' if tillered to 29" and shot at 28"??

[Blaflair2]

That's just my thought. It may be wrong. That's fine. But I've never saw a how tillered to. 28" break at 27"

[adb]

Tillered to 28" break at 27"... not following you. That would be under drawn. No problem doing that.

[4dog]

Would this be the definition of "overbuilt"  , if you want a 60# @27 but build the bow say 65#@28 that doesnt give it a "safe" margin for error or am i just dense?  Lol

[adb]

No, I don't think that's being dense. No harm in 'over' tillering by an inch. But, if I tiller a bow to 27", that's how far it's been 'taught' to bend, and it's safely been to that point many times. Drawing it past that point is something I don't recommend. All else being equal, more weight & longer draw generally equals more set. Not always, but usually. It's just not the way I begin a bow build. If I want 27", I tiller to 27". During the process, I'm sure there's times I pull the bow past my intended draw length by small amounts, but I always have a goal in mind from the beginning. Also, if I'm measuring someone's draw length and it's 26.5", I'll definitely tiller their bow to 27".

[4dog]

Ok i get it,the term is overtillered,overbuilt is different ,,dont pile on boys. 

[NeolithicMan]

I understand the idea behind over tillering a bow to make it "safer" but tillering to a certain draw length is tillering to a certain draw length. if tillered to 50# at 29" but your draw is 28" then you will only be pulling the bow into about 48# of stress even though the limbs have compressed the fibers of wood to take the 50# stress and bend more than needed. unless you have long armed friends who need to pull your bows back then it seems to be setting up for more set in the limbs and more time tillering for not much output on the limbs part. i by no means have enough experience to be saying this but I read the bowyers bibles 3 or 4 times so I feel smarter on the subject than I actually am. also if that style works for you and your bows shoot straight, who am I to say my approach is any better. piece of mind is more important than absolute adherence to another mans ideas and practices.